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Monday, December 3, 2012

Newark Mayor Cory Booker To Mimic Living Off Food Stamps For One Week

Most people are on food stamps because they have no choice, but Cory Booker has taken an alternate route. The Newark, N.J. mayor, bringing in nearly $14,000 a month, announced that he will live off the equivalent of food stamps for an entire week, starting tomorrow.

In an interview with Associated Press, Booker announced that he will patronize the food stamp Twitter challenge he extended to a North Carolina woman. The Twitter exchange took place last month, after the woman questioned him for allegedly supporting redistribution of wealth, as it relates to nutrition among low-income families.

The woman was supposed to be contacted by Booker's office, but has not yet heard back. “I don't think it's fair to be challenged and just find out from the Internet when I'm supposed to take part,” she said via telephone, after blocking her Twitter page in light of death threats she's received for raising the issue. “I would have appreciated the consideration that I have a life as well.

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New Jersey food stamp benefits on average provide roughly $133.26 per month to those using the program. Booker will be restricted to only $1.40 a day for each meal, and has urged others to partake in the challenge.
The national nonprofit organization, Food Research and Action Center, encourages people to partake in week-long food stamp challenges, and has worked with several politicians looking to walk in the shoes of tons of Americans across the country feeding their families on food stamps.